half said that it did not. However, when analysing the results by respondents’ year of graduation, a clear trend towards the presence of business school apps emerges. Indeed, between 2018 and 2022, there is an increase of 37 percentage points in respondents citing the presence of an app at their business school. Currently, 65 per cent said their institution has one. Respondents who said their institution did have an app were asked how they rated its functionality. Specifically, respondents were asked which aspects of learning their school’s app had already contributed towards, if they would have liked their school’s app to perform certain activities and areas where they thought an app was unnecessary. The most common use for business school apps is providing students with their personalised timetable/ class schedule – 74 per cent said their app did this. Other common areas of use include accessing learning resources on the go (71 per cent) accessing information about the campus/institution/school (67 per cent) and discovering upcoming events that they could attend (61 per cent). One popular function that respondents would like, or would have liked, their app to perform is to search and connect with class colleagues or others in their institution (cited by 38 per cent). In addition, a sizeable proportion of respondents would like the app to enable them to view and book resources such as computers, desks and rooms (35 per cent) , access wellbeing initiatives (34 per cent) and receive communications through app notifications or SMS (34 per cent). In what circumstances, though, do respondents feel a business school app is unnecessary? The most popular answer was to “mark attendance” (cited by 35 per cent) ahead of “access to wellbeing initiatives” (34 per cent). Respondents were then asked if they found their business school’s app useful. The results are fairly positive here, although they do indicate some room for improvement.
Did/does your business school provide an app?
YES NO
65%
35%
Yes - I am currently studying
60%
40%
Yes - I graduated in 2022
58%
42%
Yes - I graduated in 2021
49%
51%
Yes - I graduated in 2020
50%
50%
Yes - I graduated in 2019
28%
72%
Yes - I graduated in 2018
23%
77%
No - I graduated before 2018
50%
50%
Total
FIGURE 8: Uses and opinions on business schools’ apps
of using digital services for various facilities and resources offered by their business school. Respondents were most positive about accessing grades through digital services, with half (50 per cent) rating this as “excellent”. Respondents were similarly positive about using the services to access the library and reading lists, with 47 per cent and 44 per cent rating these as “excellent”, respectively. However, roughly one in five respondents rated digital services for careers services (22 per cent), wellbeing initiatives (21 per cent) and transport information (19 per cent) as “average”, highlighting areas for improvement. The survey went on to ask respondents where they would like to see their school increase its use of digital services. The most common resource mentioned was the library. A number of respondents also suggested having a single sign-on platform where they could access all the information they needed. These respondents reasoned that it would make their programme easier to navigate and reduce the anxiety of having multiple log-ins. Career services, mentoring, collaboration with other students, school news and feedback were also commonly mentioned areas in which respondents would like to see a greater use of digital services. Use of smartphone apps When asked if their business school has an app, or had one at the time of their studies, the response was split down the middle. Half said “yes”, while the other App is unnecessary for this 74% 15% 10% 34% 34% 32% 35% 67% 19% 14% 35% 14% 71% 21% 8% 29% 10% 30% 13% 34% 13% 38% 15%
App can/could do this
Would have liked/would like the app to do this
50% of students rated accessing grades through digital services as “excellent” View your personalised timetable/class schedule Mark your attendance
33%
Access to wellbeing initiatives
34%
Access information about the campus/institution/school View and book resources such as computers, desks and rooms
51%
Access my learning resources on the go
Discover upcoming events that I could attend
61%
58%
Provide your student ID
Receive critical communications (through app notiƀcations or SMS)
52%
Search and connect you to class colleagues or others within your institution
48%
32 | Ambition JULY/AUGUST 2023
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